Root, fifth, octave: the essential bass line pattern
Root, fifth and octave in eighths, through A, D, E and back to A. It's the shape under countless bass lines in rock, country and pop, outlining each chord with three notes. Once you can move it as one block, playing under any chord change becomes simple.
Opens in the player looped and counted in, with the metronome on, and speeds up 5 % every 2 loops to 120 bpm. No account or microphone needed.
- Goal tempo
- 120 bpm
- Starts at
- 72 bpm
- Length
- 2 bars, looped
- Tuning
- E standard
How to play it
Keep the root-fifth-octave shape under the hand and move it as one block.
From the root, the fifth is one string up and two frets higher, and the octave is two strings up and two frets higher. Play root, fifth, octave, fifth in eighths, and move the shape through A, D and E, then back to A.
The E chord uses the open E string as its root, so the shape becomes open E, 2nd fret on the A string, 2nd fret on the D. Keep the plucking even across the change.
Mistakes to watch for
- Losing the shape when moving between strings for the D chord.
- Letting the fifth and octave ring together like a chord.
- Changing chord late: the new root has to land on the beat.
A speed plan
The player starts at 60 % of the goal and plays each tempo twice before stepping up:
- 72
- 78
- 84
- 90
- 96
- 102
- 108
- 114
- 120
That's 16 loops and about a minute before you're playing at 120 bpm. If it stops being clean on the way, stop the ramp there and loop that tempo until it is. With a microphone or an audio interface you can record while you play instead: Demiurg checks every loop and steps up only after two clean ones in a row, and back down after a poor one.
Questions
How fast should I play Root, fifth, octave?
The goal is 120 bpm in eighth notes, which is 4 notes a second. Start wherever every note is clean: the player begins at 72 bpm. Signed in, you can set a goal of your own, slower or faster, on the Exercises page.
Why is root-fifth-octave so common?
The root and fifth are the strongest notes of almost any chord, so the pattern fits under major and minor chords alike. It outlines the harmony clearly while leaving room for everyone else.
Does it work for minor chords?
Yes. The fifth and octave are the same in major and minor chords; only the third changes, and this pattern doesn't use it.